Electrically wound timepiece



1954 A. MARCHAND ELECTRICALLY WOUND TIMEFIECE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1953 5 VDEIVEN BY q I ELECTRIC Mara/2 INVENTOR. #WA/W/R MA/QCf/A/VD ATTOZA/EYS Oct. 19, 1954 A MARCHAND 2,691,866

ELECTRICALLY WOUND TIMEPIECE Filed Sept. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 19, 1954 ELECTRICALLY WOUND TIMEPIECE Adamir Marchand, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, assignmto Benrus Watch Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 23, 1953, Serial No. 381,947

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to timepieces and particularly to clocks, and has special reference to a spring-motor operated timepiece which is electrically wound or rewound.

The prime object of the present invention relates to an electrically wound timepiece characterized by the following operational and functional features:

(a) The electrical motor winding operation is made to take place periodically at relatively long intervals such as every thirty-two hours. This results in only about 274 operations of the governing switch per year. This figure, which is particularly low, is very favorable and assures the switch contacts very easy treatment and hence a prolonged life; and

(b) The winding (and rewinding) operation is, nevertheless, made to take place after only one revolution of the spring barrel. As an effective revolution there has been selected the fourth revolution of the barrel, for a barrel the maximum winding of which would be, for example, six revolutions. The timepiece is thereby continuously operated at a substantially constant power and hence with great and constant precision.

The timepiece is characterized structurally by the fact that the energization and de-energization of the electric winding motor are effected by a toothed member which is coaxial with the spring-motor barrel, two pawls cooperating with said toothed member, each of these pawls being carried by a planetary gear which is pivotedon the barrel and engages with a pinion rigidly connected with the arbor of the barrel so that the rotation either of the arbor (for rewinding the spring-motor) or rotation of the barrel itself (in its unwinding) will cause the rotation of the said gears in one direction or in a reverse direction, respectively, and bring one or the other of the pawls into engagement with the toothed member, which in turn brings about the de-energization or energization, respectively, of the motor.

Two embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are shown by way of example in the attached drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an axial section through the spring barrel of the timepiece and a part of the operating mechanism for the electric motor;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken in the plane and in the direction of the line Ill--11 of Fig. 1;

3 is a bottom-plan View thereof taken along the broken line IIIIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4. is a plan view of the barrel, the barrel 2 cook or bridge and the barrel gear being removed; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the switch for the electric motor and the operating mechanism thereof drawn on a smaller scale than the scale shown in the preceding figures.

The timepiece exemplified in the drawings comprises a spring watch movement contained in the barrel I, the said barrel including the winding and rewinding arbor 2, a spring motor (not shown) being anchored at one end to the spring barrel and at the other end to the arbor. The arbor 2 rotates at one end in the plate 3 of the movement and at the other end in the barrel cook or bridge 4. To this arbor is keyed a winding gear 5 which is connected to be driven by an electric motor (not shown) mounted on a plate 5 forming part of the frame of the timepiece.

The apparatus for electrically winding and rewinding the spring motor periodically comprises the gear 5 on the arbor 2 which, as stated, is adapted to be driven by an electric motor, and mechanism for effecting the energization and de-energization of said electric motor. This mechanism comprises a pinion H fixed to the bottom wall and meshing with the pinion ll,

combined with means operated by the rotation of the planetary gears for effecting the energization and de-energization of the electric motor. By means of the construction thus far described it will be seen that an unwinding rotation of the barrel 1 in the direction of the arrow l5 (Fig. 2) the pinion I I being normally stationary, will cause the rotation of the planetary gears 9 and in in the direction indicated by the arrows 16, it (Fig. 2) and that a winding or rewinding rotation of the arbor 2 will, through the rotation of the pinion II in the direction indicated by the arrow 2| in Fig. 2, cause a rotation of the planetary gears 53 and it in a direction reverse to that indicated by the arrows Hi, 16 (Fig. 2).

The means for effecting the energization and de-energization of the motor comprises the following mechanism: The planetary gears 9 and H) are provided, respectively, with pivoted pawls I2 and i3, spring-urged by the leaf springs Iii, M. These pawls are adapted to co-act with (engage) a toothed member 1 arranged coaxial with the arbor 2 under the barrel I, the said member 1 being formed with the peripheral teeth 8. The toothed member l idles on the barrel arbor 2 and is adapted for a limited oscillatory motion. The toothed member i is provided with a pin H extending through an arcuate opening [8 formed in the plate 3, the ends of the arcuate opening defining the limits of this oscillatory motion.

When the barrel 1 turns in the unwinding direction indicated by the arrow H: of Fig. 2 the planetary gears Q and it roll on the then stationary pinion ll, each turning in the direction of the arrows l6, It, as aforesaid, until the pawl 12 enters the teeth 8 of the toothed member or disk 1 causing the said toothed member or disk to be carried along in the unwinding direction of the arrow 15. The pin ll, borne by the disk I, drives a rocking bar 19 pivoted at 23 to the plate 3 which, by means of mechanism described further below, brings about the energization of the electric motor, which, in turn. starts the rewinding of the arbor 2.

Upon energization of the electric motor the barrel arbor 2 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 2| (Fig. 2). The barrel I, itself, as it turns very slowly may be considered stationary during this rewinding operation. The planetary gears 9 and IE1 this time turn in a reverse direction, 1. e., in a direction opposite to that of the arrows i5, $6. This rotation of the planetary gears continues until the pawl 13 on the planetary gear it enters or engages the teeth 8 on the toothed member 1, as depicted in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the toothed member being thereby driven in a direction reverse to that indicated by the arrow with the result that the pin I? now moves the rocking bar [9 in an opposite direction, i. e., one which will cause a de-energization of the electric motor by the mechanism to be described further below.

The gearing ratio between gears 9 and [6 on the one hand and pinion H on the other hand, is such (for instance 25 and 15 teeth respectively) that these gears make of a revolution for each revolution of the barrel or for one revolution of the barrel arbor. The winding therefore takes place periodically after one revolution of the barrel. As an effective revolution there has been selected the fourth revolution of the barrel for a barrel the maximum winding of which would be, for instance, six revolutions.

Means is also preferably provided for limiting the relative rotation of the barrel and the arbor to the one revolution referred to. A stop means is, therefore, provided which is best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This stop means comprises a disk 22 keyed to the barrel arbor 2 between the'barrel cover 23 and the barrel bridge or cook 4; this disk 22 being provided with a radial dog 22a cooperating with a stop 24 fastened to the cover 23 of the barrel. The arbor 2 and the cover 23 can therefore eifect a relative displacement of substantially 360, or precisely 360 less the angle represented by the thickness of the stop 24 and of the dog 22a. This stop means permits the winding of the barrel; furthermore, it prevents the pawl l2 from having to bear the entire stress in the event that at the time of engagement the motor should not start due, for instance, to a current failure. In such case the stop means serves as a stop and the winding takes place as soon as the current flows again.

The operating mechanism for the energization and de-energization of the motor comprises the following: The pin I? borne by the disk 1 extends between the two arms !9a and l9b of a small fork on the end of the rocker arm l9. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) A camming spring pawl 25 cooperates with a projection we of the rocker arm [9 and assures it two stable positions, one correspending to the energization of the motor and the other to its de-energization. This rocker arm I9 bears at its other end a pin 26 extending through the entire movement and through the plate 6 of the clock and enters into a fork forming the end of a rocker arm 21 which is pivoted at 28 (Figs. 1 and 5) to the plate 6. This rocker arm 2! bears an insulated contact 29 which cooperates with a flexible blade 30 so as to place it in contact with a contact 3! of a second flexible blade 32; when on the other hand this blade 30 is released, it moves away due to its flexibility from the contact 3|. A spring 33 cooperates with a pin 34 on the rocker arm 21. These blades 30 and 32 are electrically insulated from the frame of the timepiece and are connected to the feed circuit of the motor in such a manner that the circuit is closed when the blade 30 contacts contact 3|.

Due to the presence of the springs and 33, the energization and de-energization of the motor are instantaneous even though the movements of toothed member 1 which controls them are relatively slow, particularly during engagement.

In case of an eight-day watch normally operating on six turns of the barrel, the rewinding in the embodiment described is efiected every 32 hours, which results in almost 274 operations of the switch -32 per year. This figure, which is particularly low, is very favorable and assures the contact 3| of very easy treatment. Furthermore, the regularity of operation of the movement is favorably influenced by the fact that only one turn of the barrel spring is used.

The structure and operation, as well as the advantages, of the electrically wound timepiece of the present invention will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description. It will be found apparent that changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a spring-motor operated timepiece having a spring actuated barrel provided with a rewinding arbor, apparatus for electrically rewinding the spring motor periodically, comprising a member on the arbor adapted to be driven by an electric motor and mechanism for effecting the energization and de-energization of said electric motor, said mechanism comprising a pinion fixed to said arbor, a plurality of planetary gears pivoted on said barrel and meshing with said pinion, whereby unwinding rotation of said barrel and rewinding rotation of said arbor cause the rotation of said planetary gears in one direction and in the reverse direction, respectively, and means operated at a point in the rotation of one of the gears in said one direction for effecting the energization of said electric motor and operated at a point in the reverse rotation of the other of said gears for effecting the de-energization of said electric motor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the pinion and planetary gears are sized so that the means for effecting the energization and de-energization of the motor is operated within only one revolution of the barrel and the arbor, respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which a stop means is provided for limiting the relative rotation of the barrel and arbor to one revolution.

4. In a spring-motor operated timepiece having a spring actuated barrel provided with a rewinding arbor, apparatus for electrically rewinding the spring motor periodically, gear on the arbor adapted to be driven by an electric motor and mechanism for effecting the energization and de-energization of said electric motor, said mechanism comprising a pinion fixed to said arbor, a toothed member coaxial with the barrel and movable for operating a switch governing said electric motor, a plurality of planetary gears pivoted on said barrel and meshing with said pinion whereby unwinding rotation of said barrel and rewinding rotation of said arbor cause the rotation of said planetary gears in one direction and in the reverse direction, respec tively, a pawl on one oi" said gears which engages the toothed member at a point in the rotation of said one of the gears in said one direction for moving the toothed member to effect energization of said electric motor and a pawl on the other of said gears which engages the comprising a toothed member at a point in the reverse rotation of said other of said gears for moving the toothed member to effect the de-energization of said electric motor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the said toothed member comprises a disk arranged under the barrel which idles on the barrel arbor.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the pinion and the planetary gears are sized so that the un winding and rewinding operations of the apparatus take place within one revolution of the barrel and the arbor, respectively.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which a stop means on the barrel and arbor is provided for limiting the relative rotation of the barrel and the arbor to one revolution.

8. In combination with the apparatus of claim 4, a switch for the motor, a rocker bar for opcrating said switch, a second rocker bar for operating the first rocker bar, said second rocker bar being connected to the toothed member for operation.

9. In a spring-motor operated timepiece having a spring actuated barrel provided with a rewinding arbor, apparatus for electrically rewinding the spring motor periodically, comprising a member on the arbor adapted to be driven by an electric motor and mechanism for effecting the energization and de-energization of said electric motor, said mechanism comprising a pinion fixed to said arbor, a plurality of planetary gears pivoted on said barrel and meshing with said pinion, whereby unwinding rotation of said barrel and rewinding rotation of said arbor cause the rotation of said planetary gears in one direction and in the reverse direction, respectively, means associated with one of said gears operated at a point in the rotation of said one of the gears in said one direction for effecting the energization of said electric motor and means associated with the other of said gears operated at a point in the reverse rotation of said other of said gears for effecting the de-energization of said electric motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

